The Bossier banner., 1887-08-11

| dishonor. Read history OF the bat
tie of Mansfield in 1864.
The tempest of civil war, the fash
of steel, the roar of artillery, the
groans of the dying, the shouts of
victory, the tears of blood, the smoke
and dust of battle, and the dread
misery of war have now passed away.
Across the gulf of blood that once
waved between the dismembered sec
tons, now flashes the shining rail-
ways of charity, and commerce sends
her words of peace and treasures of
wealth from the green valleys of the
South to the extreme shores of the
| North.
The Southerner and Northerner
who were once enemies, now meet on
the hard fought battle-felds and talk
of Southern valor and Northern cour-
age, and shake hands across the
bloody chasm, and pledge themselves
to the great and Independent govern
ment under which we have the bless
ed privilege of living to-day.
But when years upon years have
passed away, we feel that to perpet-
uate the memory of the beloved vete-
rams and the noble dead, and the
cause for which they Tough, is surely
no crime in the eyes of the brave and
generous.
The bloody flags are folded, our
hearts are in the graves where sleep
our buried idols. We will urn their
memories in the golden chancel of
gratitude, and as we mournfully tread
the darkened aisles of the future we
will cheer our hearts with the history
of these mighty deeds of heroic cour-
age.
A spirit of brave endurance and
boundless self-sacrifce; love of JUS
tice and scorn for wrong, and holy
love of country filed their generous
hearts and warmed their gallant
spirits, and neryed their arms to deeds
OF daring, that will survive as long as
patriotism has a friend, virtue a
champion or heroism an admirer.
| Power will never rob us of the
memory and affection of the beloved
veterans. We would not rekindle the
battle fires or avenging hate along
the blackened paths of our sorrowing
land. We would not meanly wrong
a Northerner or Southerner, but to
life's last sad hour, we will honor the
memory of the Confederate dead,
and stretch out the hand of brother
hood to the living veterans of the
| Lost Cause.
| Upon the bloody record of suffer
ing and sorrow, which crowns the
immortal history of the past, though
no monumental shaft or marble urn
may mark the spot where the dead
may gently sleep, and the beloved
| veterans that stand before me to-
day, may be laid, their deeds will
abide with us forever, and forever
more embalmed in nations tears
shrined in nations greatful heart
beyond the tide-mark of oblivion we
| will guard their fame; cherish their
memories, and engrave their names
deep down in our shrrowful hearts.
May the hand of affection plant
the evergreen of immortality amid
the ashes of our beloved veterans,
and when Almighty mercy calls the
roll of the redeemed, may they all
answer, and amid the harmonies oi
Heavens peace, may they change
their battle shouts to the songs of the
redeemed.
I am proud that we now live in a
country where the Church, School
House and Press are the armies and
navies that must battle for the right;
crush down the wrong and wake in
every bounding soul the aspiration
for justice, truth and mercy, law,
order and true government Those
must clear the ship for action and
guide her proudly and sublimely on
ward amid the factions of the world,
| Let us educate the young and ris-
ing generation, that they may be able
when the gray heads of our country
are lying in the cold and silent tomb,
to manage the affairs that rest in the
hands of the people of every nation.
| Let every young man and young
lady ask themselves the question,
"What is my dutys" answering that
Alright, you will know your mission,
and be prepared to act your part upon
the stage of life.
| We rejoice that out of the desola-
ton which has fallen upon the hopes
of the Southern people, something
| good will yet come.
| Our young men were relying too
much upon the achievements of pa
rental power to guide them amid the
stormy waves of trial; they did not
feel SO deeply, as now, the necessity
of personal effort The youth of the
South are bravely battling to rear up
for themselves monument of fame.
They are shielding their aged fathers